Swales — Notes from Detroit. 153 



the winter of 1905-1906, a resident of Hickory Island, in the 

 lower Detroit River, told me that a flock of ninety Geese re- 

 mained all winter. They kept well out into Lake Erie, were 

 very wary, and none were secured by the gunners. 



American Bittern {Botaurus lentiginosiis) . 



Albert Gardner wrote me at various times during the winter 

 of 1900-1907 of a Bittern that wintered at Pt. Pelee, Ont., and 

 which he saw on nearly all his visits to the marsh. The bird 

 could fl}', and appeared to be uninjured. 



Great Blue Heron (Ardea hcrodias). 



L. J. Eppinger, the Detroit taxidermist, received a bird of 

 this species in Eebruary, 1903, which a friend had shot near 

 Lake St. Clair, Macomb Co. He had been out rabbit hunting, 

 the ground was deeply covered with snow, and the day so cold 

 that the bird was frozen stiff before the hunter reached his 

 home. The winter of 1903-1903 was the most severe one in 

 this section in many years ; the snow fell in November and re- 

 mained until A'larch. It is a mystery as to how this bird could 

 eke out an existence until as late as Eebruary in the frozen 

 marshes. It was, of course, extremely poor and emaciated. 



King Rail (Rallus clegans). 



The occurrence of this species in winter is certainly excep- 

 tional. On Eebruary G, 1907, Taverner and I examined one 

 that came into L. J. Eppinger 's shop, which had been taken re- 

 cently near Detroit. The bird was in extremely poor condi- 

 tion, as might be expected. A second occurrence is reported 

 by Albert Gardner, of Pt. Pelee, Essex County, Ont., who 

 wrote me at different times during the winter of 1906-1907 

 that he had seen one of these birds in the extensive marsh 

 there. He said that it was apparently in good condition, as it 

 readily took flight when closely pressed. The winter up to 

 Eebruary was generally a mild one, the mean temperature for 

 December (Detroit, Mich.) being 29", January 26, and Eebru- 

 ary 21. 



Killdeer (O.ryechus vocifera). 



Mr. Jas. B. Purdy wrote me that he saw a Kildeer on his 



